Neurological conditions
What is Parkinson?
Parkinson's is a neurological condition in which the brain function becomes gradually more impaired. The main cause is thought to be a loss of the chemical called dopamine that helps to regulate the body's movements.
The main symptoms are bradykinesia (slow movements), tremor (involuntary shaking of parts of the body) and rigidity (experienced as muscle stiffness).
How can physiotherapy help?
The goal of physiotherapy is to improve your independence and quality of life by improving movement and function and relieving pain.
What is Stroke?
A stroke is a serious life-threatening that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off.
How can Physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapists will provide you with a rehabilitation programme to help you become as mobile and as independent as possible. As part of your rehabilitation, your physio will provide treatment tailored to your specific needs.
Depending on the severity of the stroke, physiotherapy can help you with getting your muscle control and strength back.
We will support you and those around you throughout your rehabilitation, to get you back to your everyday life as well as you are able.
What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord. This causes a wide range of symptoms including issues with muscle movement, balance and vision.
How can Physiotherapy help?
A physiotherapist works with people with MS to assess physical difficulties and help improve movement and other functions of the body. Exercise is one of the key ways in which they do this.
What is falls prevention?
Fall prevention is a variety of activities to help reduce the number of accidental falls suffered by older people
How can Physiotherapy help?
Doing regular strength and balance exercises can improve your strength, balance, and reduce your risk of having a fall. This can take the form of simple activities such as walking and dancing, or specialist training programmes.
What is a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)?
A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord causing temporary or permanent changes in its function. The spinal cord is responsible for sending messages from the brain to all parts of the body. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in the parts of the body served by the spinal cord.
How can Physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy can help through strengthening and mobilisation exercises, postural re-education and increasing sensation through sensory stimulation. A Physiotherapist can assess for seating and mobility aids to improve balance mobility.
What is Vertigo?
Vertigo is the sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning. This feeling can vary from being barely noticeable to being so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks. A vertigo attack can last from a few seconds to hours. If you have severe vertigo, it can last for many days or months.
How can Physiotherapy help?
Through vestibular physiotherapy habituation exercises involving specific movements designed to gently stimulate the symptoms of dizziness in order to desensitise the vestibular system. These exercises are designed to reduce symptoms of dizziness.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of conditions affecting movement and co-ordination. It is caused by a problem with the brain that occurs before, during or soon after birth.
There are four main types of the condition:
1. Spastic cerebral palsy (most common}: Muscles become stiff, tight and jerky.
2. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy: Muscles switch between stiffness and floppiness often causing involuntary movements.
3. Ataxic cerebral palsy: Causes jerky movements and affects balance. Speech may also be affected.
4. Mixed cerebral palsy: Includes symptoms of more than one of the three types of cerebral palsy mentioned above.
How can Physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy treatment is aimed at improving muscle activation and control, increasing muscle strength through strengthening and mobilisation exercises. Also through minimising abnormal patterns of movement through re-alignment and activation of muscles. These all result in improved functional abilities.